Sri Lanka-India passenger ferry services resume after 40 years

The passenger ferry service between India’s Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai in Jaffna, which experienced a nearly six-month delay for various reasons, finally commenced as the ‘Cheriyapani’ passenger ferry docked at Kankesanthurai port on a Saturday at 11:30 a.m. 
The ferry service between the two countries resumed after a 40-year hiatus.

Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva welcomed about 50 passengers and the vessel’s crew. The inaugural voyage of the ‘Cheriyapani’ passenger ferry was commemorated with a plaque exchange.
The ‘Cheriyapani’ is a high-speed vessel owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), measuring 35 metres in length and 9.6 metres in beam, with a capacity to accommodate 150 passengers. The journey from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai port takes approximately four hours and is priced at 26,750 Sri Lankan rupees for a one-way trip and 53,500 Sri Lankan rupees for round trips. 
Operators of the passenger ferry service claim that each passenger is allowed to carry goods weighing up to 50 kgs, with a maximum weight allowance of 50 kgs per person.

Sri Lanka’s Asha Agency Ltd is responsible for the operation and marketing of this ferry service, and they have also appointed a ticket sales agent in Jaffna city.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has invested Rs.450 million in building a modern passenger terminal for the operation of these cruise services, equipped with immigration, customs, and health services.
The Ministry highlights that the initiation of this passenger ferry service was the result of extensive discussions between the Ministry of Ports and Maritime Affairs of India and the Ministry of Ports, Navigation, and Aviation Services of Sri Lanka.
On the same day, the vessel set sail for Nagapattinam at 2.30 p.m.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva presenting a plaque to commemorate the inaugural voyage of the ‘Cheriyapani’ passenger ferry